A fan is dressed in green to watch a St. Patrick's Day parade Sunday, March 9, 2014 in Asbury Park, N.J.

Not Spring Yet: St. Patrick's Day Snow Threatened for Northeast

A mild weekend in the Northeast could give way to St. Patrick’s Day snow — perhaps 3 to 6 inches in New York, Philadelphia and Washington — as the relentless winter refuses to loosen its grip.

It’s too early to say for sure, but forecasters say the jet stream will force a moisture-packing low-pressure system to collide with air just cold enough to produce snow.

The Weather Channel says Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio could see snow on Sunday, with a band of ice farther south, including St. Louis, and rain all across the Southeast.

Then, on Monday, the system is expected to move into the Northeast, where it could dump significant snow three days before the start of spring.

The Northeast, already in the grip of one of the snowiest winters on record, will at least get to enjoy a mild weekend. The forecast high on Saturday is 57 degrees for New York, 63 for Washington and 60 for Philadelphia.